S.C. Godfrey: I Tend To Do a Lot of Thinking Before Writing
In this interview, author S.C. Godfrey discusses writing her new globe-trotting, puzzle-solving thriller, The Enigma Challenge.
S.C. Godfrey spends her days dreaming up fast-paced, exciting thrillers, reading as much as possible, and feeding a murder of crows. She lives in the Bay Area with her husband, sons, and too many pets. She is the author of two upmarket novels writing as Sierra Godfrey. Follow her on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky.
In this interview, S.C. discusses writing her new globe-trotting, puzzle-solving thriller, The Enigma Challenge, her advice for other writers, and more.
Name: S.C. Godfrey
Literary agent: Melissa Edwards, Stonesong
Book title: The Enigma Challenge
Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books
Release date: August 11, 2026
Genre/category: Thriller
Previous titles: A Very Typical Family; The Second Chance Hotel
Elevator pitch: In The Enigma Challenge, a quiet academic inadvertently sets off an international puzzle-solving competition across Europe, but to play—and stay ahead of other puzzlers—she must partner up with cryptology’s notorious bad boy, whose secrets may cost them both dearly.
What prompted you to write this book?
I wanted to read about a couple on an adventure, and I wanted to start it in Madrid, Spain. Those were my first sparks and I didn’t know anything else about the story at the time. But as it unfurled, secret codes and other locations spoke to me. I knew nothing about codes and ciphers, so I researched them and began to have a lot of fun. That’s when the story really took off for me.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
I started off with the romantic element between the two main characters, but as the stakes became clear, I realized that it was a thriller, which fit well with the story I wanted to tell. I love a fast-paced, twisty story, and The Enigma Challenge fed that need for me.
I tend to do a lot of thinking before writing, so by the time I sit down at my laptop, it goes fairly fast. Writing The Enigma Challenge took only three months. There were a few months to revise after that, and then my agent took the book out on submission. I was thrilled to sell the book at auction, and it was slated for release two years later. So, from idea to publication was about two and a half years.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
I’d published two books before this, so I was familiar with the overall editing and publishing process. But I really appreciated the ways in which my editor pushed me to uncover deeper moments in this book. Those thoughtful edits helped when I began to think about writing the next book, too.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
I do a lot of reading on subject matter ahead of writing but with this book it happened concurrently, so there was a lot of discovery on the fly. There were moments in the story where I went, Ooh, wow, did that really just happen? and realized I was delighted by the turn the story had taken, so I knew to lean into those scenes and uncover what worked.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
I want readers to be inspired to visit places they might not have considered before. The book takes place across several European cities and I set several scenes at real places to visit, like the Ángel Caído in Madrid’s Retiro Park, or the cloisters at Barcelona Cathedral, or the top of Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh. And I especially hope readers come away satisfied with a good adventure and wanting more of it!
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Read as much as you can! In all genres. Ask yourself what appeals to you about the story you’re reading and what you would have written differently, if anything. Challenging yourself to think about the way stories are constructed.
